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VANCOUVER RAT PROJECT
Dr. Chelsea Himsworth DVM  Head of the Vancouver Rat Project
Publications of Dr. Himsworth
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Vancouver Rat Project Publications
Rats Pose Health Threat to Poultry and Humans: UBC Study
Dr. Chelsea Himsworth
Highlights
  • "More than one quarter of the rats were carrying multidrug resistant strains of the bacteria. The findings support lead author Chelsea Himsworth’s theory that rats act as a “pathogen sponge,” soaking up bacteria from their environment."
  • "Rat infestations ought to be taken seriously,” said Himsworth. “They need to be tackled with an educated, informed approach in collaboration with scientists and pest control professionals. Eventually, we would like to see the development of municipal programs for managing rat infestations and rat-related issues in B.C., similar to what is currently in place in U.S. cities like New York.”
Rise in Rat Population a Threat to Human Health Says UBC Study
CBC News Posted Jan 14, 2016
Highlights
  • "With Vancouver and the Lower Mainland plagued with a scourge of rats, new research from UBC suggests there may be grave consequences if the rodents' risk to human health continues to be underestimated."
  • "She characterizes the rodents as "pathogen sponges", able to absorb diseases from their environment and then spread them."
  • ​"She says the findings suggests rats could be able to pick up and transmit more—and more dangerous—infectious diseases, and that the results are proof local municipalities need to develop strong rodent management plans."
Ecology of Leptospira Interrogans in Norway Rats (Rattus Norvegicus) in an Inner-City Neighborhood of Vancouver, Canada
Chelsea G. Himsworth, Julie Bidulka, Kirbee L. Parsons, Alice Y. T. Feng, Patrick Tang, Claire M. Jardine, Thomas Kerr, Sunny Mak, John Robinson, David M. Patrick
Published: June 20, 2013. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.ooo2270
Highlights
  • "Leptospira interrogans is a bacterial zoonosis with a worldwide distribution for which rats (Rattus spp.) are the primary reservoir in urban settings."
Author Summary
  • "Urban Norway rats are the source of a number of zoonotic pathogens responsible for significant human illness. Leptospira interrogans is one of these pathogens, and although infection in rats is asymptomatic, humans infected through exposure to the bacterium in rat urine can develop fever, renal failure, and pulmonary hemorrhage. Previous studies of L. interrogans in urban rats have been of limited value because they have not taken into account the complex ecology of the rat populations under study. In this study, we found that the prevalence and distribution of L. interrogans varied greatly between blocks in an inner-city neighborhood (reflecting that rats live in tight-knit colonies with small home ranges) and was not related to rat population size. This suggests that the L. interrogans ‘load’ in a block does not depend on the number of resident rats, but rather on some characteristic intrinsic to that block. Additionally, increased weight, body fat, and bite wounds were found to increase the probability of L. interrogans infection, suggesting that the position of a rat within the colony's social hierarchy may also influence transmission. These factors should be considered before undertaking rat control programs."​
RP Wrapup 6
Youtube Video by Dr. Chelsea Himsworth
Comments
This video explains a lot about rats and the spread of diseases by rats. A must watch video and clearly in Canada Dr. Himsworth is the person Cities should be talking to about rats.

Why A Cold Winter Won't Slow Vancouver's Booming Rat Population
By Karin Larsen, CBC News Posted Jan. 05, 2016
Highlights
  • "Chelsea Himsworth of the Vancouver Rat Project says warm winters may give a minor boot to rat numbers, but even if Vancouver experienced a "winter to end all winters," it's unlikely the population would drop by much. "
  • "Cold is not a protection against rats," said Himsworth, an assistant professor at UBC's School of Population and Public Health. "
  • "Great evidence for this is that rat populations are thriving in Scandinavia and Iceland which are very far north and extremely cold." she added. "And they're the exact same kind of rat that we have here, the invasive Norway rat." 

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